Light the Night Montreal. To see the photo gallery, click on the image above.

TUAC Local Unions across Quebec were a beacon of hope at two recent Light the Night events by raising $200,000 in total for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada (LLSC).

TUAC Local 503 members, staff, officers and family members joined forces on September 24, walking with illuminated balloons aloft, for the Third Annual Light the Night Walk held in Québec City.

In addition to the dusk walkathon, fundraising pledges were also collected by 11 members of the contingent who offered to have their heads artistically shaved, including Local 503 President Steeve Bégin.

With additional pledges from employers and suppliers, the TUAC Local 503 contingent raised in total about $18,000 to benefit the efforts of the LLSC.

In Montréal, TUAC Canada Local 500 and Local 501 members, staff, officers, and family members joined with about 3,500 participants for a chilly but heartwarming walk on October 15 through Montreal's Jean-Drapeau Park. An honoured guest and a special inspiration for the TUAC contingent was 5-year-old Francis Lagarde whose father Dominic is a representative with TUAC Local 500. Francis is currently in remission from leukemia.

"Almost everyone knows someone who has been touched by leukemia or other blood cancers," said TUAC Local 500 President Tony Filato. "We are here to give hope because we know every dollar raised goes to finding a cure."

Also participating in the Montréal event were TUAC Local 500 Secretary-Treasurer Robert Armstrong, Alain Lachaîne, President of Local 501, Local 501 Secretary-Treasurer Mario Delisle, and Louis Bolduc, Executive Assistant to the National President.

By the end of the evening, a record $748,000 was collected, including $172,000 raised by the TUAC Canada team at the Montréal event.

"TUAC Canada members and Local Unions continue to show their tremendous commitment to finding a cure for blood cancers," says Brother Bolduc. "Every day and every dollar raised brings that one step closer."